The school put up a musical, The King and I at a grand theatre in town. Dh volunteered in the school orchestra accompanying the musical, so I brought ds2 and went for the school matinee.
ds1 went with the school to the same matinee. ds2 was not included because he was a half day student, but I got the tickets from the elementary school head.
It wasn't executed perfectly, but I would say it is a huge success because the school started auditioning in Sept and only got the full cast in Oct. So in 2 months time, to get all the actors singing and acting, all the props and costumes and the orchestra/ band all in sync... that is not easy at all.
Furthermore, schools in USA and such schools are different from Spore schools in that they schedule after school rehearsals many times a week. The school had practices during lunch hour (after the kids have their lunch, they gather to practise). That happened until Nov, when they started scheduling once a week rehearsals on Wed and always ending by 4.30pm.
Only the last week, when they managed to book the theatre for the whole week preceding the show, they had rehearsals everyday.
Having so many kids involved, including some young ones is a big headache too. And Dh also got the orchestra conductor nervous cos he couldn't attend any rehearsals till the last week, and the conductor (school's own music tr) was emailing him a couple of times already. Finally he took time off work the last week and went for all the rehearsals. He played 1st violin, 1st chair. He looks just like the other students, so no problem fitting in, haha.
The theatre didn't allow any photography, so I don't have pictures. The Korean student acting as Anna sang very well. Another Korean girl who acted as the Head Wife of the King and the girl who is a gift from Burma to the King also sang really well. A lot of the Koreans and Japanese can sing and play music really well. The orchestra is made up totally of Koreans and Japanese too.
The music was very catchy, so both ds were singing and humming "Getting to know you" and "Whistle when I am afraid" and other songs for days after the musical, at home.
17 Dec Wed 1.30-2.15pm
Staff pantomime
This is the last day of school. So the staff put up a show for all the students and parents. I left ds2 at home with the ayi! First time!
He reached home from school at 12.30pm and was in such good spirits that he didn't want to go out again. I had to leave at 1.10pm to reach school in time for the performance.
Ayi was agreeable, and ds2 was requesting to stay home so I let him.
So much easier to walk out and catch a cab without ds2 anyway.
Wow, it was so crowded. So many dads took leave to be there too! Dh was too busy, so he couldn't go.
After a few speeches from the various Heads, and farewells to students who will be leaving (end of year means some contracts will end, inevitably, and students will have to leave to go home), the performance started.
It was hilarious!
The title is "Jack and the IB Beans". And like Jack and Beanstalk, there was an evil giant (acted by the Elem sch Head), but Jack was supposed to sow the IB beans and his aim was to get the IB diploma. He sold his cow in exchange for those beans. The giant stole his diploma away in the end, and he had to get it back. In the process, of course there are many parts they add in the IB terms, like "IB continuum" (phrase said when sowing the beans), and the "Inquiry Cycle"... Funny. They enlisted audience interaction too, mainly the elem kids, who enthusiastically participated, squealed and laughed. The sec sch kids were quieter, as usual.
That's Jack, and the beanstalk that grew from the beans. (All acted by teachers)
On the right, that's the Head, she's very funny, and she fits the role of the fiery giant well. The kids were so excited and thrilled when the Giant and Jack went chasing each other around down the stage and around the kids.
Descriptions are not enough, here are some snippets. Hopefully the funny parts are clear enough, like the milking of the cow. And the cow's udders dropped out halfway later, which had all the children screaming with laughter.
After the "milk" is collected in the pail, the guy asks the students if they like organic milk, since the cow is an organic cow. They chimed in, "yes!" (since the school started importing and selling organic milk to kids after the melamine milk scare), and then the teacher threw the entire contents of the pail out at them! Naturally they screamed, but it was all sparkly confetti. haha.
Jack crossing the river to get his diploma from the IB fairy. The song lyrics were changed, and basically it says how happy it is to be at XXX (School's name). Piano playing by school's music tr, and singing by school's teachers.
The evil giant who stole the diploma from him. Plus a lot of booing and hissing from audience. There's one part where the guy made fun of another prominent Intl school in Tianjin, run by the British (UK system). Kind of rivals, like RJ and HC, so there was good-natured ribbing, and that got some laughs from the older students.
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow ____________________________________________________________
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On the right, that's the Head, she's very funny, and she fits the role of the fiery giant well. The kids were so excited and thrilled when the Giant and Jack went chasing each other around down the stage and around the kids.
Descriptions are not enough, here are some snippets. Hopefully the funny parts are clear enough, like the milking of the cow. And the cow's udders dropped out halfway later, which had all the children screaming with laughter.
